Abstract:

There is a wide selection of different sports garments available in the market. Sportswear today can be very technical. They are made for real athletes as well as for very casual use, the latter being very near to ordinary clothes. Outdoor garments are very modern and technical, especially those made for activities such as alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, hiking and running. Garments are marketed by emphasizing the technical aspects in order to give consumers high hopes about quality and durability. Technical materials, especially when there are many layers of different materials in one outfit, as well as details in sportswear can cause problems for consumers when it comes to washing. Outdoor garments can get very dirty because if the challenging using conditions, so washing is important. On the other hand, the washing instructions, as well as care instructions, limit the use of washing programmes and temperatures, and also provide other limitations which might make the washing process very challenging. Choosing the right detergent can be another factor that makes washing process even more difficult. There is a wide selection of powders, liquids and tablets. They are made for colours as well as white laundry and consumer can choose between perfumed or non-perfumed detergents. The aim on the thesis was to study how different detergents, with or eithout fabric softeners, affect sportswear and especially their properties like breathability, elasticity, shrinkage and wetting and to establish whether the detergents can be considered to have any practical implications for users. Two outdoor outfits and one underwear outfit were tested in four different series where each series had their own detergent.